^ ^ Liverpool star tipped to leave as Arne Slot targets £50m transfer

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has identified a new transfer target (Picture: Getty)

Jermaine Pennant has tipped Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate to leave Anfield as Arne Slot targets a £50m transfer signing.

Konate has been a key player for the Reds since his £35m move from RB Leipzig in 2021, starring in Liverpool’s Premier League title win last season.

The 26-year-old has formed a formidable centre-back partnership with all-time great Virgil van Dijk, with Liverpool boasting the second-best defensive record in the Premier League last year.

Konate is set to enter the final 12 months of his contract at Anfield and a number of top European clubs have expressed interest in signing him next summer on a free transfer.

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Champions League winners PSG are all admirers of Konate, who has 23 caps for France.

Get personalised updates on Liverpool every day

Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.

Talks over a contract extension are expected to take place but ex-Liverpool winger Pennant believes the club’s pursuit of Marc Guehi suggests Konate will be leaving either this summer or in 12 months’ time.

It was reported last week that Liverpool were lining up a bid for Crystal Palace defender Guehi, who too will be out of contract at the end of next season.

Ibrahima Konate starred in Liverpool’s title win (Picture: Getty)

Palace rejected a £70m bid from Tottenham in January and knocked back multiple offers from Newcastle United last summer but may be more inclined to agree a deal now given Guehi’s contract situation.

It has been reported that the FA Cup holders want around £50m for a player who starred for England at last summer’s Euros.

‘If Liverpool are in for Marc Guehi, that signals to me that Konate is more on the side of leaving,’ Pennant told talkSPORT.

What has Ibrahima Konate said about his future at Liverpool?

‘I just want to say one thing: everything you saw on social media is completely fake.

‘I didn’t even ask for something from the club. They made me an offer, and I replied to them with something, that is it.

‘The rest [speculation] that I want to wait until the end… I want this, all of it is completely fake. And even the big journalists said in November I am very close to signing the deal.

‘I was like: ‘Ah, they have more information than me!?’ It was not true at that moment and that is why I was a little bit mad because it was not true at this moment.

‘I knew at one moment people would think I didn’t want to sign the contract but I was never close to signing it. We will see what will happen.’

Ibrahima Konate addressing speculation over contract talks last month.

‘I’m thinking, is this a situation like Real Madrid and Trent Alexander-Arnold, where Liverpool are saying to Guehi, “Just see your contract out and we will look after you”?

‘Because Konate is in the same situation, he’s in the last year of his contract and they haven’t agreed a deal.

‘So Liverpool might be saying to him, “Look, Konate’s going to go at the end of this season, Marc Guehi, you see out your contract and come, join us for a free and we’re prepared to offer you this”.

‘I could see that happening.’

Marc Guehi looks set to leave Crystal Palace (Picture: Getty)

Crystal Palace are already preparing for Guehi’s exit by opening talks with Sporting Lisbon to sign 21-year-old centre-back Ousmane Diomande.

Guehi refused to commit his future to the Eagles when asked about his future before Palace’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.

‘I think the most important thing is just always doing the best that I can for this football club,’ he said. ‘I come in every day and I try to be the same.

‘I try to work hard. And you know, this football club has given me a lot. I’m still under contract at this football club, so my focus is always at this football club.

‘So, you know, for me, the most important is just doing the best I can and seeing where the future holds.’

Liverpool have enjoyed a productive start to the summer transfer window after winning the Premier League by ten points last season.

They spent a club-record £116m to sign Florian Wirtz and also welcomed the German’s former Bayer Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong to Anfield.

Milos Kerkez, Bournemouth’s 21-year-old left-back, is expected to join as a replacement for Andy Robertson, who has attracted interest from Atletico Madrid.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

^ ^ Arsenal told to reject Man Utd target and ‘break the bank’ for ‘perfect’ signing

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is desperate to sign a new striker (Picture: Getty)

William Gallas believes Arsenal should pull out of the race to sign Viktor Gyokeres and says Victor Osimhen is also the wrong fit for the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta will hope the addition of an elite striker this summer takes his Arsenal team to the next level after going another season without a trophy.

Kai Havertz has been Arteta’s first-choice striker for the past two seasons but does not appear to have what it takes to lead the line for a title-winning side.

Arsenal surprisingly decided not to sign a striker in January but are ready to make amends this summer, holding talks with Gyokeres, Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko.

Gyokeres has reportedly rejected an approach from Manchester United in favour of a move to the Emirates Stadium but Arsenal are struggling to agree terms with both him and Sporting Lisbon.

Get personalised updates on Manchester United every day

Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you.

That has left Sesko as the most likely arrival in north London this summer but RB Leipzig have also set a steep asking price for the Slovenia international.

A sudden move for Napoli outcast Osimhen cannot be ruled out but Gallas fears the Nigerian, who spent last season on loan at Galatasaray, would ‘clash’ with Arteta.

Ex-Arsenal defender William Gallas (Picture: Getty)

Gallas says Gyokeres would therefore be a better fit for Arsenal but still not as good a signing as Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak.

Isak has established himself as one of the best strikers in Europe since arriving at St James’ Park and Gallas wants Arsenal to ‘break the bank’ for the Sweden international.

‘Victor Osimhen is a top class striker but I could see him clashing with Mikel Arteta,’ Gallas told Prime Casino.

‘Viktor Gyokeres would be a better fit, but Arsenal have to win the Premier League next season which means they need to sign Alexander Isak.

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak (Picture: Getty)

‘Isak is perfect for Arsenal and they should be going all out to sign him. He would adapt instantly and give them the best chance of winning the title out of any player in the world, they don’t have time to let a striker adapt.

‘Arsenal should go and break the bank for Isak. He is a 20 goal a season striker and he would be surrounding himself with quality players.

‘He wouldn’t be cheap so it’s up to the board, but he is guaranteed goals.’

Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for Isak over the past 12 months and the 25-year-old is believed to be Arteta’s ‘dream’ target for the striker position.

Mikel Arteta 'excited' for summer transfer window

‘It’s going to be a big one [summer] and we are very excited about it.

‘When you are going to go again, we want to increase the depth of the squad and the quality and the skills that we need to go to the next step.

‘Every summer is big because it is an opportunity – and especially because of the number of players we have in the squad right now, that is necessary.

‘But it’s a big summer for many things because first of all we have to maintain the good foundations that we have and then obviously how can we improve and evolve the team.’

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta speaking back in April.

But the north London outfit have been put off from a move by Newcastle, who value Isak at around £150m.

Arsenal have endured a subdued start to the summer transfer window and are one of the few clubs yet to make a signing.

But they are set to welcome Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi to the club in a £55m deal from Real Sociedad.

Real Madrid considered hijacking Arsenal’s deal but Zubimendi is on his way to Arsenal and Gallas has praised the imminent signing.

‘Mikel Arteta might have found his own version of Rodri in Martin Zubimendi,’ added Gallas, who made over 100 Premier League appearances for the Gunners.

‘He likes to sit in front of the defence and protect while giving his team-mates freedom to get forward.

‘He can offer a lot to the team in terms of giving other players more chances to get forward, Arteta might’ve seen Rodri doing that for Manchester City and wanted to do it with Arsenal.’

Arsenal begin the 2025-26 Premier League campaign on August 17 with a potentially tricky trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

^ ^ Man Utd make fresh transfer move for £44.5m star ‘in the last few hours’

Moise Kean is attracting strong interest from Manchester United (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United have stepped up their pursuit Moise Kean and are plotting a possible bid for the Fiorentina forward this summer, according to reports in Italy.

Kean has managed to get his career back on track over the last 12 months at Fiorentina having endured difficult spells with both Everton and Juventus.

The 25-year-old racked up 19 goals and three assists across an exceptional debut season for Florence-based outfit in the Italian top flight – and was subsequently named in the Serie A Team of the Season.

However, speculation has been mounting that Kean could be set to move on from Fiorentina, with the allure of the Premier League representing a ‘real danger’ for the club, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The report suggests United have ‘reappeared’ for Kean ‘in the last few hours’ and Old Trafford bosses are monitoring the situation with increasing interest while ‘setting their sights’ on a potential deal.

Get personalised updates on Manchester United every day

Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you.

A release clause in Kean’s contract at Fiorentina means he will be available for a fee of €52million (£44.5m) between July 1-15, which has put the Red Devils on red alert.

Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Qadsiah have also been credited with a strong interest in Kean and could rival United for the ex-Everton attacker over the coming weeks and months.

Kean scored 19 league goals across a fine debut season for Fiorentina (Picture: Getty)

United are on the hunt for attacking reinforcements (Picture: Getty)

Kean has not ruled out the possibility that he could stay on in Florence, though, and Fiorentina have made it clear they do not want to lose their star forward in private discussions with the Italy international.

It’s claimed Kean is currently on vacation and is in no hurry to make any sudden decisions over his future.

Kean’s current deal, which he signed upon arrival at Fiorentina, runs through to June 2029.

Cunha became United’s first signing of the summer (Picture: Getty)

United have set out their stall this summer on the back of a wretched 2024/25 campaign, in which club missed out on Champions League qualification and finished with their worst-ever points total in the Premier League.

Determined to strengthen Ruben Amorim’s misfiring attack, the Red Devils wrapped up a £62.5million deal with Wolves to make Matheus Cunha their first signing of the transfer window.

Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo has also been heavily linked with a move to United, with the Cameroon international ready to turn down Tottenham in favour of a switch to the Theatre of Dreams.

‘It’s a bit new for me, I would say, but that can be the life of a footballer. You need to accept it,’ Mbeumo told Sky Sports when asked about interest from United and Spurs.

Meanwhile, former United defender Rio Ferdinand has encouraged the club to explore a possible deal for wantaway Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.

Asked who he would like to see join United this summer, Ferdinand said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel: ‘No.9, they already know who I want. The comments know, the people know who I want, who I would go and get: Osimhen!

‘It looks like he’s turned down Al-Hilal… he must be waiting for Manchester United.

‘I don’t know if Manchester United are going to come. That’s the problem.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

^ ^ Chelsea open talks to sign £76m star ahead of Man Utd and Tottenham

Chelsea have begun working on a deal (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea have opened talks to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports in France.

PSG spent £76m to sign the French forward from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 but are ready to cash in less than two years later.

Kolo Muani scored 23 goals during his final season with Frankfurt but has flattered to deceive at PSG and struggled for game-time in an incredible talented and young squad.

The 26-year-old failed to hit double digits in his first season in the French capital and only scored two league goals last term before being sent on loan to Juventus.

Kolo Muani impressed in Turin – scoring ten goals in 20 appearances – and the Serie A giants are keen to sign him on a permanent transfer this summer.

Get personalised updates on Manchester United every day

Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you.

The player is also said to be keen to extend his stay at Juve but has been offered another transfer option in the form of Chelsea.

Randal Kolo Muani joined Juventus on loan in January (Picture: Getty)

L’Équipe say Chelsea have ‘entered into negotiations’ with PSG to sign Kolo Muani, who was heavily linked with Manchester United and Tottenham earlier in the year.

Enzo Maresca has already signed one new striker this summer in Liam Delap but Chelsea are keen for another attacker to arrive through the doors at Stamford Bridge.

Nicolas Jackson continues to frustrate Chelsea fans – being sent off in two of his last five games – and Christopher Nkunku is set to be sold following a dismal spell in west London.

Chelsea have expressed interest in Hugo Ekitike, who is also a target for Liverpool, but have been put off by Eintracht Frankfurt’s £84m valuation.

Chelsea summer transfers

IN:

Liam Delap
Dario Essugo
Estevao Willian
Mamadou Sarr

OUT:

Marcus Bettinelli
Bashir Humphreys

As a result the Blues, who won the Conference League last season and qualified for the Champions League, have turned to Kolo Muani.

The PSG outcast has 31 caps for France and played in the 2022 World Cup final defeat to Argentina.

Kolo Muani has enjoyed a superb finish to the 2024-25 campaign, scoring six goals in his last eight appearances, including two in Juventus’ opening Club World Cup win over Al Ain.

Randal Kolo Muani and Chelsea both at Club World Cup

Chelsea will get the chance to take another look at Kolo Muani when Juventus face Manchester City and Wydad AC in their two remaining Group G games.

Maresca’s side are of course also in the States for the Club World Cup and followed up their opening win over Los Angeles with a defeat to Flamengo.

The west London outfit face ES Tunis in their final group game in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella says the heat in the United States has made it more difficult for European teams at the Club World Cup.

Chelsea are working on deals while playing in the Club World Cup (Picture: Getty)

‘Flamengo also have a good team, they are first in the league with a lot of international players and are in the middle of their season and physically did better than us in this moment,’ he said.

‘Some of our players had a few weeks off and now we need to restart again so it’s a bit tough for the European teams.

‘They also played in the heat and maybe these things we can control better in this moment and we can learn, but it’s better it happens now in these stages rather than in the later rounds.

‘The conditions are not the same as well for European teams and it’s not an excuse. It’s a reality and it’s one of the reasons.

‘But this is the tournament we need to play, we cannot make excuses and if we win the next game then we will go through.

‘The two goals were pretty similar. They were crosses, they won the first contact, and just put the ball in the net. We need to improve.

‘We have a tactic to defend and we can do better but it’s true that it’s our second game in a short space of time and these things can happen.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

^ ^ Bayern Munich hijack Chelsea’s transfer move for £51m forward

Bayern Munich and Chelsea could be set for a bidding war over Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea have encountered another hurdle in their bid to sign Jamie Gittens, with Bayern Munich joining the race for the wantaway Borussia Dortmund attacker.

Gittens reportedly agreed personal terms with Chelsea before BVB’s Club World Cup campaign got underway earlier this month and the 20-year-old has been eager to push through a move to Stamford Bridge.

But the Blues have failed with two separate offers for Gittens and Dortmund are refusing to be bullied by the Europa Conference League winners as talks rumble on between the clubs.

Determined to get their man having already landed Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr, the west London giants are expected to return with a third offer for Gittens in due course.

But according to German publication Kicker, Bayern are preparing to ramp up their pursuit of Gittens as they grow increasingly resigned to their top target, Nico Williams, joining Barcelona.

Get personalised updates on Chelsea every day

Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.

Athletic Bilbao and Spain sensation Williams is said to favour a switch to the Camp Nou which has forced the German champions to explore other possible avenues, leading them to Gittens.

It’s claimed the Dortmund and England Under-21 winger is now firmly onBayern’s ‘radar’ and initial negotiations have begun between the two Bundesliga rivals with a view to hashing out a possible deal.

BVB are demanding a fee of £51m for Gittens (Picture: Getty)

Bayern have been forced to consider alternatives to Williams (Picture: Getty)

The report adds that BVB would be willing to part with Gittens should they receive an offer in the region of €60million (£51m) this summer – and a bidding war could break out between Bayern and Chelsea.

AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola and Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma also find themselves on Bayern’s shortlist of attacking targets

Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl had been expected to stay with Vincent Kompany’s squad for the duration of the Club World Cup in the United States – but the German ‘unexpectedly’ left the tournament to attend to the club’s transfer business two days ago.

Gittens’ current contract with Dortmund runs through to June 2028.

Gittens has reportedly agreed personal terms with Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

‘We’ve had one or two conversations with Jamie in the last few days,’ BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl told reporters when asked for an update on Gittens’ situation after the club’s goalless draw with Fluminense.

‘He’s professional enough to know that he has to perform. That’s part of his nature.

‘Jamie will still be very important for us in this tournament. We’ll see what happens after that.

‘But I don’t have a negative opinion of him.’

Before Chelsea’s Club World Cup campaign began, Enzo Maresca confirmed the club were in the market for a new winger to fill the void left by Jadon Sancho.

‘Jadon is not with us so for sure that is a position [winger] we need to do something,’ the Chelsea head coach told explained.

‘We have Noni [Madueke], Pedro [Neto] and Ty [George] only as the proper wingers so something for sure is going to happen.

‘When the transfer window is open, for sure, we can do something.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

^ ^ Arsenal poised to ‘change direction’ after growing frustrated with transfer target’s wage demands

Benjamin Sesko’s excessive demands have left Arsenal ‘frustrated’ (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal are ready to focus their attentions on signing Sporting sensation Viktor Gyokeres after growing frustrated with Benjamin Sesko’s wage demands.

The Gunners are intent on strengthening up front after enduring another trophyless season under Mikel Arteta, with the club facing heavy criticism for their inactivity across the last two transfer windows.

The loss of both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to injury last term only intensified the sense of unrest amongst Arsenal’s fanbase and Andrea Berta – the side’s newly appointed sporting director – is determined to find a resolution this summer.

A host of big-name strikers have been linked with moves to the Emirates and RB Leipzig’s Sesko, 22, finds himself at the top of Arsenal’s wishlist on the back of an eye-catching campaign in the Bundesliga, in which he racked up 13 goals and five assists.

However, according to The Sun, the north Londoners are prepared to walk away from a proposed deal over what they perceive to be excessive demands from the Slovenian’s camp.

Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday

Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.

The report claims Sesko remains Arsenal’s primary target for the time being – but there could be a dramatic ‘change of direction’ back to prolific Sporting attacker Gyokeres.

It’s understood RB Leipzig have slapped a €100million (£86m) price tag on Sesko this summer, while Gyokeres is believed to have a release clause of £85m in Lisbon.

RB Leipzig have told Arsenal to cough up £86m for Sesko (Picture: Getty)

Gyokeres scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last season (Picture: Getty)

‘There is a lot of talks at the moment, most of it is false. I will speak when the time is right,’ Gyokeres told his followers on Instagram last week.

Gyokeres scored 54 goals in 52 games last season to help steer Sporting to a domestic double, with Rui Borges’ men defending their Primeira Liga title before winning the Portuguese Cup.

The 27-year-old Sweden international is tied into a contract at the Jose Alvalade Stadium until June 2028.

The Gunners are on the hunt for attacking reinforcements (Picture: Getty)

‘Gyokeres? I’m not interested in any news,’ Sporting forward Conrad Harder told Sport TV when asked about the incessant speculation surrounding his team-mate.

‘I am focusing on myself. I want to play. We’ll see what happens.

‘It’s important for me to have minutes now. I was on the bench for a year, and I need to play. I think I’m ready, and we’ll see. It will be good to have minutes.

‘We will never forget what Viktor did at Sporting. Never! But I hope that the team and I can live up to the challenge. I’ll do my best. I think I’m ready.

‘I’m not ready to be the new Viktor; he’s 27 years old, I’m 20… but I’m prepared to do what I’m best at. And we’ll see what I can bring to the team. I want to stay at Sporting.’

In an interview with Matchday, Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber told supporters to expect a ‘busy’ summer of comings and goings.

‘It will definitely be a busy one for Arsenal,’ the Dutchman said.

‘I think we will get a lot of players, because we had so many injuries last season.

‘At one point we almost had no players left. So for the depth of the players they definitely want to get players.’

Who would be the better signing for Arsenal?

• Benjamin Sesko
• Viktor Gyokeres

Share your results Tweet your results

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

^ ^ Jadon Sancho decides transfer ‘priority’ as Manchester United receive new approach

Jadon Sancho is wanted by both Napoli and Juventus (Getty)

Jadon Sancho is prioritising a move to Napoli after Manchester United received a direct approach from Juventus, according to reports in Italy.

Sancho spent last season on loan at Chelsea but Enzo Maresca’s side opted not to take up their £25 million permanent option to sign the winger and have paid a £5m penalty fee to send him back to United.

Earlier this week it was revealed that Napoli have made an approach to sign Sancho and have been given the green light by the 25-year-old, however, the Serie A champions consider United’s €25m (£21.3m) transfer fee high.

However, Napoli also face competition from Juventus who have also held talks with United this week over a deal for Sancho.

According to Sky Sport Italy, Sancho’s preference would be to join Napoli as Antonio Conte’s side made their interest known before other competing sides.

Get personalised updates on Manchester United every day

Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you.

Chelsea turned down the chance to sign Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal for £25m (Getty)

Juventus had held talks to sign Sancho last summer but were unable to reach an agreement with United.

Sancho still has a year remaining on his contract with United which is worth £300,000 a week, which is another obstacle for both Napoli and Juventus.

Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund have all but ruled out a return for Sancho after he was linked with a move back to the Bundesliga.

‘Of course, contact with Jadon is always there, in some way, because we have a very long history,’ Dortmund’s sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, told Ruhr Nachrichten last week.

‘But that’s not an issue for us right now. We have other priorities at the moment, and that’s why the Sancho issue may have been more talked about in the media than internally.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.